ed
his character, which, in spite of all his plausibility of manner, was
unpopular, with something of great dread, as involving on his part some
unholy association with the evil and supernatural. This was peculiarly
the age of superstition and of a belief in the connection of both men
and women with diabolical agencies; for such was the creed of the day.

One evening, about this time, Caterine Collins was on her way home to
Rathfillan, I when, on crossing a piece of bleak moor adjacent to the
town, a powerful young fellow, dressed in the truis, cloak, and barrad
of the period, started up from a clump of furze bushes, and addressed
her as follows:--

"Caterine," said he, "are you in a hurry?"

"Not particularly," she replied; "but in God's name, Shawn, what brings
you here? Are you mad? or what tempts you to come within the jaws of the
law that are gaping for you as their appointed victim? Don't you know
you are an outlaw?"

"I will answer your first question first," he replied. "What tempted me
to come here? Vengeance--deep and deadly vengeance. Vengeance upon the
villain who has ruined Grace Davoren. I had intended to take her life
first; but I am an Irishman, and will not visit upon the head of
the innocent girl, whom this incarnate devil has tempted beyond her
strength, the crime for which he is accountable."

"Well, indeed, Shawn, it would be only serving him right; but, in the
meantime, you had better be on your guard; it is said that he fears
neither God nor devil, and always goes well armed; so be cautious, and
if you take him at all, it must be by treachery."

"No," said the outlaw, indignantly, "I'll never take him or any man by
treachery. I know I am an outlaw; but it was the merciless laws of the
country, and their injustice to me and mine, that made me so; I resisted
them openly and like a man; but, bad as I am supposed to be, I will
never stain either my name or my conscience by an act of cowardly
treachery. I will meet this dark villain face to face, and take my
revenge as a brave man ought. You say he goes well armed, and that is a
proof that he feels his own guilt; yes, he goes well armed, you say; so
do I, and it will not be the treacherous murderer that he will meet, but
the open foe."

"Well," replied Caterine, "that is just like you, Shawn; and it is no
wonder that the women were fond of you."

"Yes," said he, "but the girl that was dearer to me a thousand times
than my own life has proved